Automation in the cloud and hardware deployment

The cloud brings budget friendly, hassle free automations

One of the benefits that moving to the cloud can bring is a whole raft of automation without the need to invest in expensive infrastructure.

Microsoft 365 subscriptions for a business provide significant benefits in terms of security, automation and device management.

Why do you need automation?

Automation provides a business with consistency, consistency comes from how a new machine is built and configured, consistency is born from how data flows within the organisation and consistency depends on how data can or cannot flow outside of the organisation, providing new levels of protection which is vital in a digital world and GDPR.

Consistency across all computer hardware

Microsoft Intune coupled with Autopilot provides businesses with the ability to deploy brand new Windows built computers or laptops with a consistent build and company applications providing staff with a consistent and reliable computer. What is more, it makes supporting the environment so much easier because of the consistency and if there are any issues, such as the network drivers no longer working, the user can be talked through resetting the computer so that it rebuilds itself and gets the drivers working again without the need for a site visit or to provide new hardware.

If there is a problem that doesn’t get resolved by resetting the computer to rebuild itself, the member of staff can be assigned a new computer and have it shipped to them without even taking it out of the box or setting it up prior to sending. All the user has to do is unbox the computer, decide which country and keyboard layout to select, connect it to a network and the machine will then detect it is enrolled with the company, by checking in with Microsoft and Intune, and it will then prompt the user to enter their password. Once it has authenticated, it will set itself up with the automated build.

The Silver Cloud Business can help organisations create and develop their automation in the cloud - contact us to find out what we can do for you.

A typical configuration of Autopilot would comprise of:

• Enrolling the new computer.

• Assigning a profile.

• Assigning a user.

• Creating application packages to deploy to the build using group membership (allows different applications to be deployed to different users / departments).

• Configure OneDrive to automatically sync My Documents, Pictures and the Desktop back to the cloud.

• Create data configuration policies that sync corporate data into OneDrive that then allows users to see SharePoint sites and Teams sites within Microsoft Explorer.

• Configure security policies on the computer such as automatic disk encryption, creation of a local support admin account, ensure the primary user account is a standard user, not a local admin account.

• Configuration of remote management and remote resetting of the device.

Whilst the above is a typical configuration, it is not limited to this and any additional requirements to an automated build can typically be met through the configuration of policies included in Microsoft 365.

Contact the team for more information on how to get started.